


your flowers just died (plant new seeds in the melody)

by itsd33tho



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Blood and Violence, Brutal Cato is such a cool name idk why, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Cato Has A Few Mental Health Issues, Character Death, Character Death Fix, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Graphic Description of Corpses, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I Wrote This While Listening to Hozier's Music, I'm Bad At Tagging, Katniss is grumpy, Katniss needs a hug, Multi, Shenanigans, There will be a mixture of the book and the movies regarding appearance and height and stuff, but he likes sun, cato is a friggin brute ok, cato needs a hug, everyone needs a damned hug and sun is gonna give them one, sun is not a mary sue but she sure as hell isn't gonna take anything lying down, sun volunteers for rue and then
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:08:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23557348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsd33tho/pseuds/itsd33tho
Summary: In which, a brute meets a sunflower.“We have work songs, it gets boring in the fields. The peacekeepers would never admit it but I think they actually enjoy our songs. Most have been passed down from past generations.” Sun murmured, playing with a loose thread on her shirt. Cato looked at her in curiosity.“Sing to me.” He breathed, his eyes never leaving her face. Her cheeks warmed and turned pink. She nodded and sang. Her voice covered him and he felt at peace, similar to when he would submerge himself underwater. He found that she was what came to mind when he needed to calm himself more and more nowadays...."And your name is Sun... Flowers?""Yes, Caesar. My dad thought it would be funny."Cross-Posted on Wattpad
Relationships: Annie Cresta/Finnick Odair, Cato (Hunger Games)/Original Female Character(s), Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 41





	1. persephone

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been cross-posted on wattpad. It's under the same name. Funnily enough I'm only posting it here because I forgot I had already started it on wattpad. My username there is SpontaneousMischief. I have other fics but they are largely unfinished with slow updates. Sigh.

Persephone sunk into him,  
She let him hold her;  
His crown left in the dirt.  
She sang to him songs of sunlight,  
And cooed his name.  
She took the fruit and pledged her soul,  
His gaze swallowed her whole.

\- dee for: "your flowers just died (plant new seeds in the melody), Chapter 1: Persephone"

_"I don't wanna make you feel bad_

_but I've been trying hard not to talk to you, my sunflower."_

\- Sunflower, Vol. 6; Harry Styles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All crappy poems with the name "dee" at the bottom belong to me. Just ask me if you wan them for something.


	2. hades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hummed to her songs of darkness

And so Hades Swept her up,

Her flowers falling.

He hummed to her songs of darkness;

(It was) her name he (his heart) was calling.

He fed her fruit to trap her soul,

And called her _lovely girl_.

But little did he know the price he paid to take her

Would be paid in full.

\- dee for: "your flowers just died (plant new seeds in the melody), Chapter 2: Hades"

_"My baby never fret none,_

_about what my hands and my body done._

_If the Lord don't forgive me,_

_I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me._

_When I was kissing on my baby,_

_and she put her love down soft and sweet,_

_in the low lamp-light I was free._

_Heaven and Hell were words to me."_

\- Work Song; Hozier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not clever, I know.


	3. prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summary from Wattpad.

Sun Flowers is from District 11. Despite having no personal ties to her, she volunteers for little Rue during the reaping. She befriends the grumpy Katniss with her wit and humor. She catches the attention of the hulking brute from District 2, Cato. And with a few tricks up her sleeve she might just be able to win. And if not, at least fuel the Girl-On-Fire's flames.

..

"Well, aren't you pleasant to talk to?"

"Shut up, your name is literally Sunflower."

"Better to be named after a flower rather than a weed, Sparky."

..

"And your name is Sun... Flowers?"

"Yes, Caesar. My dad thought it would be funny."

..

"Are you afraid, Little Flower?"

"Are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My wattpad summaries are always more quirky, I guess.


	4. and this is how it starts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you.” Rue whispered, pulling back so Sun could look into eyes so similar to her own. Sun only smiled.
> 
> Title taken from "Sex" by The 1975
> 
> what a stupid chapter title lol

Sun swallowed heavily, her throat felt incredibly dry. She felt terrible and knew exactly why.

_ “I volunteer!” _

_ The crowd around her parted as she walked briskly to the stage. Peacekeepers surrounded her as she passed by the girl whose name had first been called. _

The little girl she volunteered for,  _ Rue,  _ looked so surprised. Sun had felt like laughing then, she kind of feels like it now but refrains. She keeps the sound within her, her eyes start to water and she feels an ache in her jaw and chest. She could either laugh or sob, maybe even a bit of both. As she was deciding which to let fall from her lips, the door to the room she had been escorted to opened. In stepped little Rue. There was no one with her but Sun wasn’t too bothered by this, parents rarely let their children wander without supervision in District 11 (the Peacekeepers’ wrath fell upon any in their path, no matter their age), she was sure Rue’s parents were nearby.

“Hello.” Sun greeted hoarsely, shoving her emotions down in the face of the girl she essentially forfeit her life for. Rue said nothing, and in her silence she stepped forward. Sun watched her curiously, and didn’t move as the girl slowly wrapped her in a hug. Sun let one hand rest on the child’s back, patting it as the girl tightened her hold.

“ _ Thank you. _ ” Rue whispered, pulling back so Sun could look into eyes so similar to her own. Sun only smiled.

“Anytime, kid.” Rue smiled at that and stepped back slightly, Sun let her arm fall down to her side.

“Good luck, my family and I will be cheering you on.” Rue said quietly, giving another small smile before she stepped out of the room. Sun still felt like screaming but the interaction left her a little warmer than before. She found the smile she wore for Rue dim to a simple upturn of her mouth before the door opened again.

Her father in all his grumpy glory stepped in. He stood at 6’ with dark hair and a thin beard that he kept trimmed. He was strong, one of the strongest in his trade, his figure showed his strength. He seemed to pass a lot of his athleticism to his daughter, the only other similar trait she had of his was his heavy glare. It was known to scare many people shit-less. But his green eyes were concerned and there was the smallest hint of devastation in his gaze.

“Dad.” she choked, standing to hug him and bury her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and rumbled soft reassurances in her ear as she struggled to hold in her sobs. A few tears streamed down her face as her father gently pushed her back. His brows weren’t pushed into a scowl like usual but furrowed in worry, she knew why. His only daughter, the only piece of her mother he had left had gone and volunteered to die for a child she didn’t even know.

“I’m sorry.” she gasped, pressing her hands to her face. Her father just hushed her gently and pulled her back into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him again, tighter this time as he started whispering to her.

“You’re strong, you can win this. Trust your instincts and trust yourself. I raised you to be smart and to survive, you can do this.” he said. Sun’s sobs quieted as she listened to her father’s words.

“You did the right thing, volunteering for her. You have courage, you’ve fought a bear, remember?” he pressed, a hint of humor in his voice now. Sun gave a watery laugh.

“Yeah, a bear. Definitely not a raccoon.” she mumbled, her dad hummed as if in thought.

“No, no, it was definitely a bear. You callin’ me a liar, brat?” he asked, giving a playful glare. Sun laughed louder, placing her head on his shoulder. Her father let out a chuckle but squeezed her again. They quieted and there was a knock on the door, signifying that her dad needed to leave. 

“I love you, kid. And I’ll always be proud of you, no matter what happens.” he sighed, giving another squeeze before pulling away.

“I love you, too, Dad.” Sun whispered, her arms falling to her sides for the second time that day. She stared at the door long after her father left, she blinked as it opened again, two Peacekeepers removing her from the room and taking her to the car where she saw her district partner and her district’s escort. She knew her district partner but only in the way she knew Rue. In passing, they hadn’t known each other’s names until today. Many people hadn’t known their names until today, including their escort who seemed to delight in the world play of Sun’s name, but seemed to especially enjoy sounding out her district partner’s.  _ Thresh _ . The eccentric woman said again and again, but Thresh never said a word in return. He had given Sun a nod of what seemed to be respect, her having been the first person he acknowledged all morning. 

Sun tried to be polite, friendly even as they rode to the train in a car. Sun didn’t understand why they couldn’t just walk, they did have legs after all, but she took one look at their escort’s heels and realized the woman wouldn’t have lasted 6 feet. The woman seemed delighted at Sun’s attempts to hold up a conversation and took to chattering at what seemed to be a million miles a second. Sun stared at the purple haired woman in what was almost awe but crept closer and closer to horror as the woman kept going. 

Sun looked at Thresh who seemed to be saying  _ this is your fault  _ with his eyes as he looked between her and their escort who continued to gabble on and on.  _ Can she breathe?  _ Sun silently replied with a furrow of her brow as she watched the escort in slight concern. Thresh shrugged, uncaring as he turned back to the window. What was she even saying at this point, it sounded like another language. Sun strained her ears and focused on the woman's lips as if that would help her understand. It didn’t, Sun sat back in her seat slowly, the escort not noticing. 

Sun almost threw herself from the car as they got to the train, earning an amused look from the driver who she realized had also been subjected to the mindless chatter of the purple haired escort. Sun gave an apologetic smile before making her way to the train platform with her district partner and district escort who, thankfully, fell silent.

They climbed onto the train and Sun struggled to remain polite as their escort,  _ let’s call her Gabby _ , began talking again but about the train now. Sun felt bad tuning the woman out but did so as she fixed her gaze to the window where the people of her district waved goodbye and threw seeds and flowers at the train. Peacekeepers had their guns and whips at the ready should anyone step fully out of line, Sun could see they were already agitated at the cheering and the seeds and flowers that rained down on them. 

She could tell the moment the Peacekeepers had enough as her district people quieted and she saw the crowd ripple with movement just as the train pulled away from her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may seem kind of rushed and for that I am sorry, I wrote this at 4am.
> 
> ALSO her dad is totally based off of Derek Hale from Teen Wolf.


	5. even when we're smilin' out of fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cato knew what to expect, just another pair of helpless children would be called up like all the other districts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Cato had an older brother?? But he died??? I beg your pardon???
> 
> Title taken from "Tennis Court" by Lorde

Sun didn’t know what to make of the train car. Everything was so… expensive. Golden trinkets, light fixtures, vases, plates and cups seemed to fill the room. The sitting room had four blue velvet chairs facing each other with dark wood accents, the room extended towards a dining room with matching dining room chairs. The entire car had dark wood accents with olive green wallpaper and yellow lights and flowers. 

Sun was almost afraid to touch anything. She wasn’t necessarily clumsy but she and expensive things did  _ not  _ mix well. The beautiful crystal glasses her father owned (family heirlooms, he said) had shattered at her feet when she accidentally brushed them while making her way to the stove. Thresh didn’t seem to have the same qualms, moving past her to sit in the blue velvet chair closest to the window. Sun slowly followed, making sure she didn’t touch anything besides the flowers. She took the seat next to Thresh, their escort was humming to herself as she wandered over to the dining table. 

Sun folded her hands, unsure of what to do. She decided not to attempt conversation with the brooding Thresh, though she was fairly certain they could communicate without words (she had enough practice having been raised by the pure embodiment of brooding and grumpiness). 

Sun was knocked out of her thoughts at the sound of one of the doors from the train car opening. In stepped two District 11 victors, Chaff (45th Hunger Games) and Seeder (30th Hunger Games). Chaff, standing at 6 feet tall had dark skin a few shades darker than Sun’s but a few lighter than Thresh’s. He had a scar running down one side of his face and a stump where his hand used to be. He had refused a prosthetic, Sun thought she could understand that. No amount of money could replace the limb he lost. After his victory he turned to alcoholism, Sun wondered if she would do the same if she won. Chaff seemed to have a small grin curling his lips, stepping into the room as Seeder followed him.

Seeder was a beautiful woman, she was well into her 60s and yet remained as healthy and strong as she did when she was first reaped. Her hair was short, close to her head and she had a kind smile on her face. As far as Sun knew, Seeder hadn’t resorted to alcohol or drugs, maintaining a healthy lifestyle after victory. Thresh (who was still the tallest and biggest person in the room at 6’6 and 220lbs., at least) finally turned away from the window as their mentors walked into the train car. He still hadn’t said anything and showed no physical reaction to their entrance besides turning his head. 

Their mentors came forward and sat in the seats across from their own, the escort greeted them cheerfully and Chaff rolled his eyes and pulled a flask from his pocket as Seeder greeted the woman kindly before turning to the tributes. 

“How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice deep and soft. Sun felt caught off guard at the question,  _ are we supposed to feel good?  _ Sun glanced at Thresh before answering. 

“Like shit.” she said, earning a snort from Chaff as the escort gasped in shock at her language. Thresh gave a quiet huff (which Sun assumed meant the large boy was amused) and Seeder’s smile only seemed to grow. The tension seemed to ease out of the room with Sun’s remark, the yellow lights seeming warmer as the occupants of the room relaxed. Seeder’s eyes were warm as she regarded the two of them.

“I would be worried if you said otherwise. My name is Seeder and this is Chaff, as you’ve probably already realized, we’ll be your mentors for this year's Hunger Games. Chaff will be mentoring, you, Thresh. And I will be your mentor, Sun.” Seeder finished with a smile, Sun’s lips twitched into a small smile and Thresh gave a nod.

“We should watch the other reapings before we eat.” Chaff suggested, Seeder agreed with him and they stood to make their way to the media car, their escort (whose name was Rheta, she learned) followed after them.

\--

Cato was having a good day. The reapings had been as long as 10 minutes with his and Clove’s volunteering. He found it fitting that he and Clove go into the arena together, they had been at the academy together, bunked together, trained together, so why shouldn’t they dive head first into the games together.

It was a very good day indeed. They were gathered to watch the reapings. Him, Clove, Brutus, Enobaria and Lyme. Their escort was around as well but she was silent.

Cato knew what to expect, just another pair of helpless children would be called up like all the other districts. And that’s exactly what started happening during District 11’s reaping, he watched as the camera moved to find the girl whose name was called. She had dark brown curly hair that surrounded her head, dark brown eyes that were filled with fear. She was so small. Somewhere in his heart he felt pity, but he pushed it back, he had to bring pride to his district. He couldn’t afford to feel anything for these people. 

He instead smirked as the young girl stepped out of the crowd and started towards the stage. She was about halfway there when a voice rang out.

“ _ I volunteer!”  _ Cato blinked. Hearing the words he himself had uttered not long ago at his own district’s reaping was jarring, especially because it came from District 11. There hadn’t been a volunteer from District 11 before. Cato leaned forward as the camera quickly panned towards a young woman, she looked to be about 16 or 17. She looked underfed, like the rest of her district but there was strength in the set of her shoulders. Her hair was longer and darker than the girl’s, it looked almost black but it revealed itself to be an incredibly dark brown in the sunlight. Her eyes were a shade darker than the young girl’s and her skin was golden brown, a shade lighter than the girls. She looked to be about 5”5 in height and though she was malnourished she had toned muscle in her arms and legs. 

She walked through the crowd of girls her age, weaving through them when there wasn’t enough space. Her mouth moved ever so slightly as she made her way out of the crowd. Cato thought maybe she was counting her steps, too nervous to focus on anything else. Maybe she was telling herself to breathe, maybe she would pass out before she even made it to the stage. But as his eyes focused on her lips he realized she was saying something entirely different. Soft  _ excuse me _ s fell from her full lips. Cato was bewildered, did her volunteering really mean so little to her that she still focused on something as meaningless as an  _ excuse me _ ?

She gave a smile to the girl who’s life she’d saved and walked to the steps surrounded by peacekeepers. Once on the stage the purple haired escort smiled excitedly at the girl and asked her name. Clove snorted at the answer the girl gave.

“Sun  _ Flowers _ ? What the hell goes on in those districts?” she shook her head, Brutus grunted and Enobaria gave a laugh, but Cato was intrigued.  _ She volunteered so easily, why? Did she know that girl?  _ His thoughts were interrupted as the male tribute's name was called. And Cato’s day had gotten worse almost immediately at the sight of the boulder that was Sun Flowers’ district partner. Clove cursed in shock while Brutus gave a whistle in awe. The boy was over 6 feet tall, he radiated power with his every move. He didn’t seem worried about someone volunteering for him as he strode to the stage with purpose. He had very dark skin and a brooding look in his eyes. He was definitely a threat. He was larger than Cato, with more muscle mass and height, Cato only being 6’2 with 185 lbs. of muscle on him.

“He’s definitely someone you need to watch out for. Try and get him into an alliance. Maybe even the girl, she’s got balls, at least. Volunteering for someone she doesn’t even know.” Enobaria said, her voice thoughtful as she studied District 11’s tributes. 

“She probably volunteered for the glory. She was afraid of being out shined by a 12 year-old.” Clove sneered, Cato smirked but didn’t believe Clove’s claims for a second.

“I disagree, the other districts aren’t like ours. They don’t see going into the games as glorious. For them, it’s a death sentence. They don’t train like us, they don’t have the money or the facilities.” Brutus said, his voice serious. Cato was further intrigued by Sun Flowers with his mentor’s words, Clove was rolling her eyes but Cato was lost in thought. 

“How do you know that she didn’t know the girl?” Cato questioned, his eyes on Enobaria though he could feel Clove’s eyes burning holes into the side of his face at his uncharacteristic curiosity. He didn’t give a shit about her at the moment, he wanted to know more about the female tribute from 11, he ignored his district partner and kept his attention on Enobaria. But it was the other female victor in the room that answered him, he turned his gaze to the tall and muscular woman.

“The girl got halfway to the stage before Flowers even moved to volunteer, which means she was debating on whether or not to volunteer. Perhaps if the girl were family or friend there would have been some panic in Flowers but she showed no signs of fear or anger when she volunteered, which tells us that she had no attachment to the girl. The girl, in turn, didn’t show any fear for Flowers, just surprise at being volunteered for. And knowing what we know about the poorer districts, Flowers knew what she was doing by volunteering. She’s got courage, and obviously some confidence in her own skills if she put herself on the chopping block rather than the 12 year old.” Lyme explained, her words filled the room and Cato’s mind. He understood what she meant, after all, a 14 year old had won the games before. Though the chances of a 12 year old winning were slim, it wasn’t impossible.

“She might be a valuable asset. Her partner is, for sure.” Enobaria finished, Neither Cato or Clove said anything else and they all turned to watch the last reaping. Cato was bewildered as they watched events similar to the ones of District 11 unfold in District 12.

“Another volunteer?” Clove scoffed (as if she, herself, hadn’t volunteered), crossing her arms as the frantic dark-haired girl clutched the smaller blonde to her before pushing her away to walk to the stage. A boy with hair as dark as the girl’s came up and swept the sobbing blonde up into his arms, taking her to the back of the crowd. Cato wondered what would become of the small blonde if the boy that carried her was called up. As the girl gave her name and explanation for volunteering, it being that the blonde was her sister, Cato compared the two volunteers.

The one from 11,  _ Sun _ , had debated with herself on whether to volunteer (having the choice of giving up or keeping her life as she and the child had been strangers). While 12 had frantically thrown herself forward, having pushed through the crowd, screeching her sisters name and that she volunteered (while she also had the choice of keeping herself safe and doing the opposite, the choice seemed obvious. At least, to Cato it did. While he didn’t know if he would do the same for his own sibling, he figured most sibling relationships worked like 12’s did.), it was almost like instinct for her to have volunteered herself. 

  
Her district partner was nothing too outstanding, he had muscle but didn’t have the backbone to do anything with it, so he was utterly useless. Cato thought maybe he would survive for a while but didn’t care enough about him to calculate. His partner however, had someone to go home to. He figured she would take longer to die off out of sheer will. The male from 11 would probably be his biggest challenge, Cato hoped he would make it out of that fight alive. And he did plan to fight the other boy, he would fight him and emerge victorious. As for  _ Sun _ , well, she would serve as a challenge for him as well (just not in the way he thinks).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you like Sun and Cato so far?? I feel like I'm writing this weird.


	6. truth is only hearsay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her district had sung once, to the two children who were being taken away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I meant to say in the previous chapter notes was that one of the definitions of the name Rheta (the escorts name) is “speaker”. I know, I ran that joke into the ground but it was funny at the time.
> 
> Title take from “Love It If We Made It” by The 1975
> 
> TW// mention of suicide

Sun sat quietly in her designated room, leaned against the headboard while clutching a pillow to her chest. Her hair was thrown messily over her shoulder, still wet from her shower. The smell of poppies surrounded her, it was the scent of the shampoo she had used (her skin smelt of hazelnuts due to the pale colored body wash she had used). Her mind raced, the subtle jolt of the train racing over tracks was almost soothing in a way, the soft, rocking movements sending her into something of a trance.

After Seeder and Chaff had introduced themselves they had made their way to the media room to watch the other reapings. Sun could still remember the frown that came to her face watching the District 1 tributes volunteer. She supposed it was nice enough of them, but they had looked so happy. Like it was an honor. Sun knew enough about the Career districts to know that they loved the Hunger Games and adored the Capitol and President Snow. Hell, District 2 was seen as the Capitol’s “pets”, supporting their every move and salivating at their every word. The ass-kissery made them both the favorites of the Capitol as well as President Snow.

Sun watched as the beautiful blonde sent flirty looks to her district and her partner who held his arms up as if he were a God-given gift. Their district people were screaming and cheering, Sun couldn’t help but compare their obnoxious cheers to the heavy silence of her district, to the heartfelt goodbyes at the train station. Her district had sung once, to the two children who were being taken away. During the 67th Hunger Games, Sun had been 10 that year. It was only once. The soft humming from the throats of hundreds of oppressed people had shaken the ground that day. Sun swore that even the trees had quaked, shivering at the sound. 

It had only been once because in the arena, the male tribute had hummed it. Hummed it and stared into the camera, he stared and slit his own throat. An act of defiance if anyone had ever seen it. And when the other shoe had dropped, it crashed down on the heads of every man, woman and child of District 11.The peacekeepers were cruel, bruises marked many for a year after those games. President Snow enforced new rules and protocols, all reapings in District 11 were to be silent. No songs to be sung. The only thing allowed at the train station from then on were the sounds of flowers and seeds hitting the ground. And the only words to be spoken were to be of congratulations and luck wishing. 

The District 2 reaping was similar to the District 1 reaping. A small girl had stepped forward and volunteered with a clear voice and a wicked look in her dark eyes. For the males, Sun had felt her breath hitch. A beast of a boy had volunteered, he commanded attention as he stood tall. He wasn’t as large as Thresh but he was still notably large, with thick and muscled tree-trunk thighs, sculpted calves, broad shoulders and a trim waist, as well as biceps that were larger than Sun’s head. His eyes were an icy-blue, with golden blonde hair that was slightly spiked. He stood a little over 6’ and wore a smirk.  _ Holy shit, what the hell do they eat over there?  _ The male,  _ Cato _ , the boy himself supplied, dwarfed his district partner. Not that it mattered, she still looked menacing. Sun would have to watch out for those two, District 2 screeched and whistled as their tributes were escorted into the Justice Building. Sun released a breath she didn’t know she had held, watching District 3’s reaping with little interest as her thoughts swirled around the pair from District 2.

She was ashamed to admit that she thought more of  _ Cato  _ than his district partner. She struggled to refocus as his voice echoed in her ears, saying the exact same thing she had during her own reaping.  _ “I volunteer!”  _ She wondered how many more times she would have to hear that phrase. Apparently, two more times. Sun watched her own reaping with apprehension. She watched herself call out and step through the crowd and walk to the stage. She looked… calm. Confident, even. The smile she had given Rue had felt shaky on her lips as she did it, but it looked serene from camera view. She looked like she didn’t have a care in the world at what she had given up. Thresh had looked as intimidating as he did when she watched him remove himself from the crowd. 

Standing side by side they looked like a formidable pair. With Thresh’s obvious power and with Sun’s slim build that spoke of speed and agility, they looked like they were meant to stand together. But that also meant that other tributes would be wary of them, possibly enough to start strategizing against them even before training started. Sun slumped ever so slightly, this wasn’t going to be easy.

The people of District 12 were sullen. Quiet and depressed and covered in coal dust as they stood before the Justice Building. Their escort had worn a large, pale wig with a plum purple headdress that matched her dress and heels. She spoke with cheer that was as obnoxious as that of Districts 1 and 2. She called the female tribute’s name first, as usual, and a small blonde girl made her way out of a crowd of girls her age. She had two pigtails and big, brown eyes. She was so small, the exact same size as little Rue. Sun’s heart clenched, had she really volunteered to save one little girl from death but no one else would for this one? Tears had brimmed in her eyes just as a frantic voice let out a cry of the girl’s name. “ _ Prim!”  _

Sun watched in surprise as a young woman around her age threw herself from the crowd, she was stopped by peacekeepers but sent them away with only two words. She volunteered, and almost as if she were afraid they wouldn’t accept her she repeated herself, louder and with more confidence. She wouldn’t take no for an answer, she had been the first volunteer in 12. The very first, much like Sun was for her district. Sun’s heart broke as the little blonde was carried away from the girl, but couldn’t help but sit in awe as another person had volunteered, not to have glory or honor, but to save a precious life. __

She listened closely as the girl spoke her name,  _ Katniss.  _ The little girl was her sister. Sun smiled, the girl had a fire in her eyes as she spoke. For the first time since the reaping of 12 had started the people moved, kissing the three middle fingers of their left hands and holding them out for all to see. Sun wondered what it meant, watching as the girl’s fire seemed to grow brighter with the gesture. The male tribute was called and a blonde boy with a stocky build slowly made his way to the stage. The two shook hands as the escort tried to gain a reaction from the stoic people of District 12. Nothing came of her attempts, the two tributes entered the building in silence.

Sun had only spoken a few words after that, still more than Thresh but only a few, nonetheless. Their mentors had spoken to them about who they should definitely look out for and who they should attempt to ally themselves with. Thresh had shaken his head, he gave no reason for his decline of allies but they had understood. So had Sun. He didn’t want any allies, not even her when it came down to it. Sun supposed she should have felt hurt but she didn’t. There could only be one victor. What would be the point of making allies, or even working with your district partner if only one of you could live? Sun understood, but she also understood that Thresh didn’t really need any allies anyway. He was a force to be reckoned with. Sun believed him to be the definition of “raw power.” She admired and respected him for that, though she couldn’t bring herself to feel the fear the other tributes were undoubtedly feeling while watching 11’s reaping.

Sun, however, probably  _ would  _ need allies. Seeder and Chaff instead gave her pointers on who to try and ally herself with. They briefly mentioned the female tribute from 12, but they didn’t know what to make of her. So they suggested a few others before dinner was ready. Sun knew who she wanted to talk to, though. She wanted to be allies with the girl who had fire in her eyes. It was a strange impulse, one she knew wouldn’t go ignored.

Sun was exhausted by the time she had that thought, her stomach was almost uncomfortably full with the rich food from dinner. The table had been covered by plates, enough to feed at least 7 families in 11. Sun wished she could share it with them, with her dad. Seeder seemed to understand what she was thinking, giving her a kind smile from across the table.

“I thought the same thing when I was a tribute. This much food could feed so many… But instead it often goes to waste.” She gave a sad sigh, before continuing with her meal. Her admittance had silenced any conversation and Sun had swallowed, before making sure to eat as much as she could. She knew she would feel ashamed if any of the food in front of her had gone to waste when the people of her district had less than the smallest amount on her plate. Thresh either had the same idea or was incredibly hungry, between the two tributes, the two mentors and Rheta they had cleared most of the table. Though Thresh and Chaff had done most of the work with Sun and Seeder coming in close behind them, Rheta had declared herself full after one plate of fish and asparagus. Sun had felt annoyance at her but pushed it away. It wasn’t Rheta’s fault. It was President Snow’s fault. 

Sun squeezed her pillow,  _ it was all because of President Snow.  _ He was behind every evil thing in Panem. He was the reason her district people went hungry, he was the reason why parents couldn’t leave their children within 2 feet of peacekeepers in 11. He was the reason little girls like Rue and Primrose were sent away to their deaths every year. He was a cruel tyrant that punished the people in his nation for the mistakes they had made so long ago. Sun knew better than to ever say these things out loud. Bad things happened to victors and tributes alike that spoke ill of President Snow. 

Sun shifted so she was lying on her back, staring at the darkened lights on her ceiling. Her eyes had closed for only a second, but it was just long enough for her to fall asleep. 


	7. no one even knows how hard life was; life is sweet like cinnamon, like a fucking dream i'm livin' in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was a light sleeper however, the only times she had ever truly slept heavily was when her dad had kept her company. He only did it on bad days and only when she was young, she had been slower and smaller then, her body not used to the beatings of the peacekeepers or the demanding heat of the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from "Radio" by Lana Del Rey
> 
> This is something of a filler chapter (but not exactly skippable, sorry :(( ).

Sun opened her eyes to darkness that morning, being used to waking before dawn to work had made it so she could never sleep in. It was too ingrained in her to rise before the actual sun did, to dress in light but sturdy clothing, tie her laces in double knots and go to the orchids or the fields for work. Half-way through her usual morning routine she realized that her boots felt strange on her feet, the ground was shaking under the soles of her feet with a strange mechanical sound and the fabric of her clothes was soft. Softer than anything she owned. 

She remembered where she was with a slow blink, the laces attached to the strange shoes still clutched between her fingers. Sun swallowed and slowly finished tying her laces, she looked at her clothing and saw she had put on a lilac button-up over a green tank top, her pants were the color of freshly turned soil and her boots were shined. She hadn’t noticed the fabric when she had picked the clothes, only the colors. She had chosen something she would usually wear to work the day away, and though the fabric felt nice against her skin and the colors were soothing, she missed the coarseness of her own clothes. She missed the softness of her own boots, these pinched her toes and the soles were stiff, she was probably the first person to wear them. 

Sun wrung her hands in unease before standing and leaving the room, she was hungry but was also used to feeling the emptiness of her stomach in the morning. She hoped that now that she was away her dad would have enough food to eat, one less mouth for him to feed meant he didn’t have to work himself to the bone as often. She also realized with a start that she didn’t have to go without breakfast for the little while that she would be in the capitol, the thought both excited and sickened her. _Would Rue have breakfast today?_ Sun had been standing in front of the door leading to the dining room long enough that someone came up beside her, Seeder had walked up behind her, evidently still unable to sleep in even though she was a victor and had been for many years. She didn’t ever have to work again because she was a victor and yet Sun would see her in the fields sometimes.

“Good morning, Sun. How did you sleep?” Seeder asked, her voice as kind as it was the night before. Sun tried to smile. 

“I slept alright, and you?” Seeder’s warmth didn’t change as she replied.

“Not well. I never sleep well in trains.” She admitted, opening the door to the dining car and walking in with Sun following just behind her. Sun understood that. The truth was, she hadn’t slept amazingly but she did get just enough sleep, her body having learned to gather as much energy as possible especially considering how much energy and how many calories she burned through every single day while working. She was a light sleeper however, the only times she had ever truly slept heavily was when her dad had kept her company. He only did it on bad days and only when she was young, she had been slower and smaller then, her body not used to the beatings of the peacekeepers or the demanding heat of the sun. She would usually be too upset to sleep, sniffling and curling her bruised body into as tight a ball as she could manage. Then, her dad would come in, holding a bowl. In it, was the ground remains of a leaf from the spiny plant that sat by the sink under the window, her dad often snapped off a leaf or two to ground into a gel. It soaked up whatever water it could and stored it in it’s leaves, it could survive for months without water. Her dad said it had many uses, one of them being for bruises. He would lather her bruises in the cool gel and wipe her tears, he would feed her what little food he could scrounge up (undoubtedly going hungry himself), and would mumble the words of a familiar song as she drifted to sleep. 

He hadn't done it in a long time, she hadn’t been beaten or caught by peacekeepers in a long time. The heat didn’t affect her as much, she got stronger and faster and was slow to tears. Sometimes he came into her room and sat by her bed like he used to when he thought she was asleep, and he would mumble those same words and stroke her hair. She saw pride in his eyes when she came home from the fields or the orchids, still as strong as when she had left. Sun smiled absentmindedly, peeling an avocado (which wasn’t exactly easy) and taking a bite from it once the creamy green of the fruit was revealed. 

Thresh had come in only a few minutes after Sun and Seeder had entered, he took the seat beside Sun after giving the two of them a nod and began eating immediately. He seemed partial to the bread and eggs, wolfing down two plates of both before going for thirds. Rheta walked in with a bright smile, taking her own seat at the table across from Thresh. She ate much like she did the night before, grabbing a bowl of fruit and yogurt. Seeder had filled her own plate with various vegetables, drinking water from a tall glass. Sun had finished her avocado by the time Chaff wandered in, he had circles under his eyes but nonetheless seemed to be fully awake. Sun grabbed a piece of toast as Chaff sat down and began eating, grabbing the coffee jug and pouring a large helping. It was quiet for a while, the only sounds being Rheta’s cutleries gently scraping her plate as she ate and the avoxes moving to and fro, clearing plates and refilling the jugs of orange juice, water, tea and coffee. 

“Tonight is the tribute parade. You’ll be meeting your stylists and your prep teams. You’ll meet your prep teams first, you’ll be spending the day with them to prepare for the parade. I’ll warn you now, you won’t like the preparation process.” Chaff’s voice was strong and slightly amused as he spoke of the preparation process. Sun’s eyes widened with slight fear as he spoke of how the prep team would rip each individual hair from their bodies and scrub their skin raw. 

“Um..” Sun began, but Seeder just shook her head with a sigh as Chaff began chuckling to himself. Sun slumped slightly in relief as she realized he had been joking, but looking at Seeder she straightened. _He hadn’t been joking._

“Unfortunately, Chaff was not exactly exaggerating. The prep teams aren’t exactly gentle, though I’m sure they will be if you’re truly worried about it.” Thresh gave a grunt and crossed his arms, Sun didn’t really know what to say besides _Alrighty then._

“So, is there anything special we should do during the parade? Any advice?” Sun said instead, Seeder looked to Chaff before she started to speak. 

“Your stylists have some ideas for what they want you two to wear, so whatever you do it will have to go along with your costumes.” she explained before Chaff cut in.

“You two are a threat to the other tributes. I guarantee you intimidated some of the other districts just by standing together on the stage. Thresh, you radiate power, people will want to be your ally simply because they’re terrified to be your enemy. Sun, the people no doubt see you as kind and brave. You volunteered, people will want you as an ally for your loyalty and any other strengths would be a bonus for them. Both of your strengths together makes a strong and threatening front. Show them that. When you’re in your chariot during the parade, show them your power, show them your bravery. They’ll never forget your names, that way.” Chaff finished, his eyes boring into the two young tribute’s. Sun and Thresh seemed to nod in unison, Sun being too awed to say anything. His speech wasn’t tear-jerking or anything of the sort but it was sharp and straight to the point. He saw things so clear cut it seemed, and his words came out just as clear. There was no sugar coating, or dancing around the point. Sun wasn’t used to it, but she had to say she preferred it to the sweet sugar other people (like Caesar Flickerman) spewed. 

Chaff had finished his pep talk just in time, it seemed. The train slowly rolled through the capitol, Sun turned to the window to see an abundance of strange colors and strange faces with extravagant make-up and clothing. By extravagant she meant ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. _How is a metal corset with neon spikes practical?_ She wondered, she tried not to let her bafflement show on her face. 

She gave as kind a smile as she could to the screaming people of the capitol, they seemed to get louder at that, some of them even saying what Sun thought was her _name_. Maybe it should’ve been exciting, to have so many people screaming for you. But all Sun felt was dread.

………..

Sun’s prep team was loud. Very much so. And not just in volume, in color and garb, as well. One of them had carrot orange skin, he wore a deep red shirt with a pair of dark green shorts. Sun wasn’t sure if the colors truly clashed or not but was uncomfortable looking at the man all the same. The other two were females, one had incredible piercings all over her face and neck, Sun winced as the woman spoke animatedly, watching as the piercings pulled at her skin. The last was a little more tame with blue hair, only she wore a yellow cellophane dress with nothing underneath. Sun was unsure of what could compel a person to wear such a thing, the woman was fully exposed. (And, Sun had discovered as the woman walked up with the other team members to greet her, the curtains did match the drapes). 

Their names were strange, the man was named Reel. The woman with piercings was named Dittra, and the blue haired, naked one was named Quor (pronounced Core). Though their names were strange, Sun found she appreciated them in a weird way. They talked at her as they stripped her of her clothes and shoved her under a shower faucet, scrubbing every inch of her body and tsk-ing at scars they found (she was a child once, after all), she managed to get a question or two in about their names as they thoroughly (but painfully) scrubbed at her body. After her skin hurt and she smelt of pomegranates, they put her in a gown and pulled a brush through her hair and washed her face.

She ended up cursing their names in her head as they did exactly as Chaff said they would and worse. They coated smooth strips of paper in a colorful adhesive and stuck it to her left leg. She had been in the middle of asking what it was when they ripped it from her leg, she didn’t scream but gave a gasp of surprise at the sudden, stinging pain. _Waxing_ , they had answered before placing another strip onto her skin. Sun’s face was fixed into an annoyed glare by the time they had finished with her legs, she suddenly felt goosebumps prickled along her arms in unease as Reel started to lift the gown they had put her in.

“What-” Sun began, about to deck him and leap from the table they set her on when Dittra calmly came to her other side.

“We have to wax the other places as well, hun.” she explained gently. Sun shook her head in confusion.

“Your dress, dearest. We need to wax you all over because of the nature of your costume.” Reel said, talking to her as if she were a small, unintelligent child. 

“It’s alright, sweets. We won’t hurt you.” Quor said in a cheery voice, Sun frowned but slowly laid back, feeling very uncomfortable. The process seemed to be more painful, they were very thorough, they had even waxed up to her backside and under her arms. _I’ll kill Chaff when I get out of here._ Sun thought as the prep team then each grabbed a pair of tweezers and took to plucking whatever hair they missed, Dittra plucking her eyebrows as well. Reel went to work on her nails, cutting, filing, and painting both her finger and toe-nails a dark purple-ish color. Sun wondered when the paint would come off and felt itchy as Quor pulled at her hair, placing pins and what seemed to be red flowers (like the red of a pomegranate) in some strands. Once they finished with their respective jobs they ushered her off the table, stripping her again to lather her body with lotions and creams. One of the lotions seemed to have gold glitter in it, they coated her body with it and sat her down again once they had finished. They wrapped her in a robe before coming towards her face with brushes and pencils and wands, Sun felt overwhelmed as they attacked her face. 

She had blanked out for a bit and came back to life as they cleared the room, leaving her by herself, feeling very sore and drained. She wondered what she looked like now, but there was no mirror and she didn’t really want to get up from her seat for a while. She sat for a moment longer until someone walked in. A woman, she wore a blue jumpsuit made from some kind of shiny fabric and had yellow eyes. Her head was shaved and large hooped earrings sat in her ears, a pattern that mimicked a spider web spiraling in the middle of each hoop.

“Hello, Sun. My name is Talia and I will be your stylist for this year’s Hunger Games.” the woman didn’t smile, her face showed no emotion though her voice did. Sun didn’t say anything regarding this, only a polite hello and a kind smile were given. 

“What will it be this year? Are we still farmers?” Sun asked, trying to sound excited but faltering a little as she recalled the farmer costumes. She hoped they wouldn’t be dressed as farmers, her district was more than that. They were underrepresented and Sun was tired of seeing District 11 tributes go unnoticed.

“No farmers this year.” Talia said and although she still didn’t smile, there was a twinkle in her eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's title is kind of half serious, half sarcastic. The first part ("no one even knows how hard life was") refers to Sun's early life in District 11 and the second half ("life is sweet life cinnamon, like a fucking dream i'm livin' in") is sarcastic because while she doesn't get into the same trouble she used to, life still isn't all sunshine and rainbows for her. We'll be delving a little more into Sun's district life as we go.
> 
> The actual parade is in the next chapter. We'll have some thoughts from Cato as well as a Sun/Cato moment. Till next time.


	8. smile, the worst is yet to come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was alone and surrounded by horses and people who wanted to kill her, people who wanted other people to kill her, and people who wouldn’t even look at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, I kinda got stuck on what I wanted their outfits to be but I finally figured it out. It might be kind of short, but I hope you like it!
> 
> Title taken from “Smile” by Mikky Ekko

The floor was cold under Sun’s bare feet as she stepped into the hangar filled with horse-drawn chariots, each surrounded by each district’s tributes and those tributes’ stylists and mentors, Sun felt exposed, even covered by the soft gauzy fabric of her dress, she had never really worn a full on dress before. For reapings she wore skirts, of course, but skirts and dresses differ quite a bit if you can believe it. Dresses seemed to be more complicated, with zippers and ties and buttons and straps. 

Hers was a pretty, flowy thing. It had strips of rose and rouge pink that wrapped snug around her torso, the straps of it tied behind her neck, leaving a v that exposed her sternum (Sun had briefly worried the dress would be see-through, but the layering of it prevented any show of skin that wasn’t intentional). The dress lacked fabric to cover her back, but had golden thread that criss-crossed down from under her breasts to the dress’ waistline to make up for it. It twinkled prettily against the smooth skin of her spine. She had to twist her head far to be able to get a glimpse of her costume in the mirror. The dress stopped just above her knees but there were breaks in the fabric of the skirt that revealed much of her upper thighs (she begrudgingly understood why they had to wax her so thoroughly). 

When she had turned back to face the mirror she had noticed darker strands of pomegranate pink fabric hiding underneath the lighter strips of fabric. The make-up they had used to cover her eyelids and lips shimmered from a dark to lighter pink as she shifted under the lights, the flowers in her hair calmly faded from the red-pink color to one that was lighter than her dress and back. There were no shoes to go with the outfit but her feet were manicured and therefore presentable, Reel had somehow found a way to make her feet look pretty and dainty (though she didn’t really know if they had always looked that way or not, she had been covering them with sturdy work boots since she had been old enough to walk). 

Talia had seemed to find the wide-eyed look Sun had donned hilarious and the previously stoic woman gave a slight chuckle, which garnered another wide-eyed look from the younger of the two. 

“How do you like it, Sun?” Talia asked, it was quiet for a while as Sun struggled to put her thoughts into words.

“It’s beautiful, Talia. I’ve never seen a dress like it.” Sun murmured, shaking her head slightly. Her hair that had been straightened to the small of her back and then loosely curled, brushed against the skin of her back with the movement. She picked up a strand of hair, wondering how long her usually untamable, curly mane of hair would stay so… well, _tame_. Talia had led her out of the room soon after and directed her towards an opening at the end of the sterile white hall, saying that she needed to speak to Thresh’s stylist but she would meet her out there. 

_What the hell am I supposed to do while I’m waiting?_ Sun had wanted to ask but Talia had already walked away before the words could form. Sun contemplated not leaving the obnoxiously white hallway, not riding the chariot, hiding in some obscure corner of the capitol and perhaps dying there, as well. She forcefully shoved those thoughts away.

_Suck it up, Flowers. Just do it, there’s no time like the present to make a fool out of yourself._ Sun huffed a breath through her nose before stepping into the large room. 

_That_ had been about five minutes ago. She wanted to go back into the hallway. She was alone and surrounded by horses and people who wanted to kill her, people who wanted other people to kill her, and people who wouldn’t even look at her. She almost missed her prep team ( _almost_ ), she definitely missed her mentors and even the brooding Thresh. The small, scared girl deep inside of her missed her dad. 

Sun tried not to let her unease and discomfort show on her face, keeping a neutral mask in place as she continued into the room. She scanned the room and was not surprised to see most tributes watching her like a hawk, Sun was unsure if it was because she was an enemy or because of her outfit. She figured it was the latter as she took in the outfits of the other districts.

District 7 was covered in paper that had been folded into rather pretty structures, District 1’s female looked like a giant pink bird with her headdress, District 2 looked as intimidating as they did ridiculous and beautiful in their golden armor. Sun cemented her mask onto her face as she made eye contact with the boy from 2, his icy blue eyes were almost narrowed as he studied her. _He’s taller in person._ Sun noted, unsure of what else to take in about the boy besides that and the fact that he was intimidating (but she would rather get stung by a tracker jacker and fall from a tree than admit to anyone that he scared her).

“ _What’s she supposed to be?_ ” his district partner asked with a scoff (just loud enough for Sun to hear, she noticed), Sun turned her gaze away from the boy and met the dark eyes of the smaller girl. The girl glared but Sun didn’t flinch under the heavy murderous intent leaking from the girl, it seemed the girl was indiscriminate with her anger as she turned her hard glare up towards the boy. He had murmured something to his district partner that had her hackles rising, Sun hid her slight amusement and turned away from them, though she could feel eyes ( _his, she’s sure_ ) on her back.

As she turned she came face to face with Thresh, his stylist it seemed had also been against farmers this year. He wore a dark purple cloth wrapped around his waist tightly, going down to just above his knees, exposing the broad bulk of him for all to see. He wore a leafy crown and had vines curled around his bare chest and arms, some of the vines had been etched onto his skin with dark ink. His feet were covered with brown leather sandals, he didn’t seem all that affected with being exposed. His expression had not changed even slightly compared to when she had seen him earlier that day. Sun looked curiously at the red apple he held in one hand.

“Are you a tree of some sort?” she questioned, tugging at a leaf that hung from one of the _very real_ vines that hung off of him.

“Not exactly.” Sun turned to see a man with dark eyes and hair, he wore dark grey clothing. It looked strangely traditional and crisp, the buttons on the jacket attached to the right of the jacket, with loop eyelets and large square pockets on each side. The man wore black and white shoes with strange little accents on the material. He gave a slight bow and Sun blinked, unsure of how to respond. The man paid her uncertainty no mind and gave her a kind smile.

“Hello, I am Senri. Thresh’s stylist. And to answer your question, he’s something of a _drus_ , if you will.” Sun didn’t reply, only giving him a slightly sheepish smile. He only smiled gently and spoke again.

“In Greek mythology, a _dryad_ is described as a spirit of nature. A _dryad_ usually refers to a female spirit, the male equivalent is a _drus_ .” Senri explained patiently, Sun let out a quiet _oh_ as the information sunk in. It seemed even Thresh had been curious as a contemplative look appeared on his usually closed off face.

“Do you know what my outfit....?” She trailed off, gently rubbing the fabric of her skirt between her fingers. Senri suddenly had the strangest look on his face.

“Ah, well-” he was cut off as Seeder, Chaff and Talia walked up. Sun tried not to let her disappointment show on her face as their mentors complimented her and Thresh on their beauty, she had wanted to hear what Senri was going to say. Sun very briefly wondered where Rheta was but let that train of thought wander off as Seeder and Chaff both told her she looked quite beautiful. She glanced at Thresh and was unsurprised to see he wasn’t paying attention to their mentor’s pleasantries.

“Thank you.” Sun murmured gently to Seeder who smiled warmly at her, Chaff simply nodded and stepped over to talk with Thresh, no doubt about what he should do whilst in the chariot. Seeder stepped a little closer to Sun, with Talia only a step behind.

“So, what should I do? Smile? Cry? Blow kisses?” Sun questioned, though her brow furrowed at the latter. Seeder chuckled as Talia gently righted a twisted strap on Sun’s dress.

“You could do those things, I’m sure they would garner quite the reaction. But-” Seeder chuckled at Sun’s sour expression before continuing, “I think something a little different for you, Sun.”

“Alright, like what?” Sun asked slowly, absentmindedly stretching her calves as if preparing to run. Talia watched silently as the young tribute shifted from foot to foot, if Seeder noticed the girl’s nervous habit, she showed no signs of addressing it.

“When you volunteered for the girl, Rue, you had this smile on your face. All of Panem knew who you were the second you volunteered. You’re someone to be afraid of, you have courage and with courage comes will. You won’t go quietly.”

_“Stars always shine brightest before they fall.”_ Sun blinked and turned at Talia’s muttered words, it seemed the stylist had no ill will as she said it. But her words revealed just how little confidence she had in Sun winning. Seeder fell silent for a moment. Sun felt a sting in her eyes.

“Just- show them that none of this has changed you from the girl you were before. You may be in make-up and a pretty costume but you’re still Sun Flowers of District 11.” Seeder finished with a sigh, Sun gave another nod, the lump in her throat was immovable at the moment, and as she let Senri help her into the chariot the same dread she felt after volunteering settled in her stomach once more. It was very much the same.

She knew she wouldn’t win then, there was no difference now. Nothing had changed. _She_ certainly hadn’t, so why was she so scared, now? The chariot gave a jolt and Sun struggled to blink the tears from her eyes, her hand coming up to grip the rail of the chariot. She saw Thresh turn to her in her peripheral and looked up at him, there was a question in his eyes, _are you alright?_

Sun could only smile softly, she looked away but could’ve sworn she saw a flash of red and orange in the chariot behind her. She paid it no mind and tried to focus on what Seeder had said,  _ All of Panem knew who you were. You’re someone to be afraid of. You won’t go quietly.  _ Sun then recalled the words of wisdom Chaff had given that morning,  _ show them your power, show them your bravery. They’ll never forget your names, that way. _ She considered the words carefully and knew as the Chariot jolted once more that she didn’t have a lot of time to ponder. She glanced at Thresh who stood powerful and silent beside her, she glanced ahead at the District 1 tributes in their expensive pink feathers with their arrogant and crooked grins, at the cruel and angry District 2 tributes wrapped in gold, the doe-eyed tributes of District 8 and felt overwhelmed.

  
Sun sucked in a breath through her nose as the chariot finally started to move, following the chariot in front of theirs where the cowboy-hatted District 10 tributes sat. And as they were dragged into the bright lights of the capitol and drowned in the screams of its citizens, _Sun could only smile._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Senri is wearing a hanbok, which is traditional Korean clothing. Also Clove is a butthead and Thresh isn't an emotionless barbarian (but we already knew that).
> 
> ALSO I lied, the parade is split up in this chapter and the next :))))
> 
> Hope you liked it! 'Till next time.

**Author's Note:**

> All crappy poems with the name "dee" at the bottom belong to me. If you want to use them or something just ask me.


End file.
